Hot roll leaf stamping apparatus



Nov. 16, 1965 F. c. WORTH HOT ROLL LEAF STAMPING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 6, 1964 INVENTOR. F/MA/C/S C, WORTH ATTORNEY Nov. 16, 1965 c, WORTH 3,217,637

HOT ROLL LEAF STAMPING APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 u w V:- m a? g 8 m INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Nov. 16, 1965 F. c. WORTH 3,217,637

HOT ROLL LEAF STAMPING APPARATUS Filed Marc 6, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 m 20 w/ 9 4 u il 'IHM Z 22 I l k I||" Ill INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Nov. 16, 1965 F. c. WORTH 3,217,637

HOT ROLL LEAF STAMPING APPARATUS Filed March 6, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR fZA/VC/S C. h/oRrH ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,217,637 HOT ROLL LEAF STAMPING APPARATUS Francis C. Worth, Ridgewood, Queens, Long Island, N.Y.,

assignor to Adolph Gottscho, Ina, Hillside, N.ll., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 349,925 1'7 Claims. (Cl. l0l25) This invention relates generally to marking apparatus, and more particularly is directed to improved apparatus for applying markings from hot roll leaf stamping tape to a Web or other sheet material during movement of the latter.

In an existing apparatus for applying markings from hot roll leaf stamping tape to a continuous web of sheet material during movement of the latter, the web moves over a back-up roll or other supporting surface and the hot roll leaf stamping tape is pressed against the web on the supporting surface by type elements on a heated die Wheel so as to transfer the desired marking to the Web. The die wheel is rotated and the stamping tape is fed in the direction of movement of the web in synchronism with the movement of the latter during each marking operation. Further, in the existing apparatus, the fresh or unused stamping tape is drawn from a supply spool mounted at one side of the path of movement of the web, and the used tape is rewound on a take-up spool mounted at the opposite side of the path of movement of the web. Thus, the stamping tape has to be fed along a relatively long path between the supply and take-up spools, and such path includes portions extending laterally with respect to the direction of movement of the web and an intermediate portion extending parallel to the direction of movement of the web and where the tape passes between the rotated die wheel and the Web on the back-up roller or supporting surface. By reason of the relatively long path of travel of the stamping tape and the changes in direction along such path, difficulties are experienced in maintaining accurate tracking of the stamping tape, particularly when relatively narrow tapes are employed or under conditions of relatively high humidity. Conditions of relatively high humidity further tend to cause curling of the stamping tape by reason of the long path of travel of the latter.

In the above described existing apparatus, heating of the die wheel is effected by electrical heating elements incorporated in the body of the die wheel, and hence rotating with the latter. By reason of the foregoing, commutators or slip rings and brushes are interposed in the conducting means for supplying electrical current to the heating elements, and such commutators and brushes have been a source of repeated trouble.

Finally, in the described existing apparatus, the feeding of the stamping tape during each marking operation, that is, during movement of the web and rotation of the die wheel, has always resulted in the displacement of the stamping tape through a distance greater than the length of the applied marking or impression as a result of the indenting of the surface of the back-up roll by the pressure of the type elements on the die wheel exerted against the web through the stamping tape. Thus, gaps of oneeighth inch to over one-quarter inch appear between the successive impressions or use-d portions of the spent tape, and such gaps represent waste of the relatively expensive hot roll leaf stamping tape material.

Accordingly, it is generally an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for applying markings from hot roll leaf stamping tape to a web or continuous sheet material during movement of the latter, which apparatus avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages of the described existing apparatus.

3,217,637 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 ICC More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a marking apparatus of the described character with an improved mechanism for feeding the hot roll leaf stamping tape so as to eliminate any substantial gaps or unused areas between the successive impressions or used areas of the tape.

Another object is to provide a marking apparatus of the described character with a relatively short path of travel for the stamping tape between the supply spool and the take-up or rewind spool, and along which the tape is accurately guided so as to avoid curling of the tape or inaccuracies in the tracking thereof, even when the apparatus is operated under humid conditions or with a narrow tape.

A further object is to provide marking apparatus of the described character with a stationary electrical heating unit for heating the rotated die wheel, thereby avoiding the necessity of interposing commutators and brushes in the circuitry for energizing the electrical heating elements.

In accordance with an important aspect of this invention, the hot roll leaf stamping tape, which is fed from a supply spool between the die wheel and the moving web passing over a back-up roller and then rewound on a take-up or rewind spool, is engaged, at a location therealong intermediate the supply spool and the die wheel, by a swingable rod which is movable toward and away from fixed guide rods so as to decrease and increase, respectively, the size of a loop formed in the tape, and the tape is further engaged, at a location therealong intermediate the die wheel and the take-up spool, by a feed metering roller. The feed metering roller is turned during each marking operation so as to advance the tape through a distance exactly equal to, or only very slightly greater than, the dimension of each applied marking or impression in the direction along the tape. The movements of the swinging rod are coordinated with the rotation of the die wheel so that, immediately before the initial contact of the type elements on the die wheel with the web on the back-up roller, the swingable rod moves in the direction for providing slack in the tape between the supply spool and the die wheel. Thus, during marking and rolling contact of the type elements on the die wheel with the tape against the web on the back-up roller, there is slack in the tape to permit feeding of the latter at the rate and through the distance required by the marking contact. Such feeding of the tape by the die wheel produces a slack in the tape between the die wheel and the feed metering roller, and turning of the latter through the predetermined angular extent then commences. As the marking operation is concluded, and the type elements on the die wheel move out of contact with the tape, the swinging rod is moved in the direction away from its adjacent fixed guide rods, thereby pulling back on the tape between the die wheel and the web on the back-up roller to the extent by which the feed of the tape by contact with the type elements on the die wheel has exceeded the advancement of the tape by the feed metering roller.

In addition to pulling back any excess feed of the tape, the swinging rod ensures that the stamping tape is relaxed or slack during the actual marking operation, and further that the feed metering roller also acts on a slack length of the tape, thereby avoiding slipping and inaccuracies in the feeding of the tape.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a marking apparatus embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the marking apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, detail front elevational view, partly in axial section, of a clutch mechanism for driving the feed metering roller of the marking apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 77 on FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an axial sectional view of the drive and heating unit for the die wheel of the marking apparatus, as viewed along the line 8-8 on FIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is an end elevational view, partly in section along the line 99 on FIG. 2, and showing a latch arrangement that is provided to permit intermittent rotation of the die Wheel.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, it will be seen that a marking apparatus embodying this invention and there generally identified by the reference numeral 10 comprises a supporting structure having vertical, spaced apart side members 12 and 14 joined together by a cross member or bar 16. The web W (FIG. 3) of sheet material to be marked travels continuously or intermittently between side members 12 and 14 and, in so doing, passes under freely rotatable, laterally extending guide rollers 18 which are spaced apart in the direction of travel of the web and have their opposite ends suitably supported from side members 12 and 14. Intermediate guide rollers 18, the web W travels over a back-up roller 20 which is freely rotatable on an axle 22. As shown particularly on FIG. 1, the end portions of axle 22 have screws 24 passing diametrically therethrough and provided with rounded heads 26 adapted to seat on sockets 28 extending inwardly from side members 12 and 14. A handle 30 is further secured on axle 22 at an end of the latter projecting through an enlarged opening 32 in side member 12 to permit manual turning of axle 22 from the operative position of the back-up roller 20, where screws 24 extend vertically downward to support the back-up roller in a relatively raised position with respect to the sockets 28. It will be apparent that, upon turning of axle 22 by handle 30 from such operative position, screws 24 are angularly displaced to depress the back-up roller 20, and thereby quickly space the web passing over the back-up roller from the heated die wheel disposed above the latter, as hereinafter described in detail.

The apparatus 10 further has a head 34 made up of vertical, spaced apart side plates 36 and 38 of generally rectangular configuration which are joined together at their lower, front corners, by a cross-rod 40 and, at the top, by a cross-rod 42 (FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5). The back edges of side plates 36 and 38- have rectangular cutouts 44 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) receiving the cross bar 16 of the supporting structure, and a plate 46 spans the cutouts 44 and extends laterally between the side plates 36 and 38 to which it is secured by screws 48, thereby mounting head 34 on cross bar 16 for lateral adjustment along the latter. The plate 46 further has clamping screw 56 extending therethrough for engagement with the cross bar 16, thereby to lock head 34 in its adjusted position along the latter.

A hollow shaft 52 is journalled in bearings 54 (FIG. 8) located in side plates 36 and 38 adjacent the bottom edges of the latter so that the axis of shaft 52 lies in the vertical plane passing through the axis of back-up roller 20. One end portion of shaft 52 extends axially beyond the outer surface of side plate 38 and is connected by an open cage 56 to a coaxial drive shaft 58 which is suitably journalled in side member 14. The shaft 58 is rotatably driven either continuously or intermittently, as hereinafter described in detail, thereby to effect the necessary rotation of a die wheel 60 extending axially from the other end of shaft 52 which projects through side plate 36.

As shown particularly on FIG. 8, die wheel 60 includes a hollow cylindrical body 62 which is open at the end thereof remote from side plate 36 and has an end wall 64, at its other end, provided with a central tapped bore for receiving the threaded end of a retaining rod 66 extending axially through shaft 52. The retaining rod 66 has a knurled knob 68 at the end thereof projecting out of shaft 52 within cage 56, and the body 62 and the adjacent end of shaft 52 may be formed with axially en gageable teeth or splines 76 or other similar rotational coupling means (FIG. 8).

It will be apparent that the described arrangement for mounting die wheel 60 on the end of hollow shaft 52 permits removal of the die wheel merely by rotation of the knob 63 in the direction for unscrewing the threaded end of rod 66 from the tapped bore of end wall 64 of the die wheel body. Thus, when drive shaft 58 is continuously rotated in synchronism with the movement of the web W over the back-up roller 20, the die wheel 60 is selected so as to have an effective circumference equal to the desired distance along the web between the successive markings to be applied to the latter. Since a constant distance is provided between the axes of rotation of die wheel 66 and back-up roller 20, the removal of a particular die wheel and its replacement by a die wheel having a different effective circumference, and hence a different diameter, requires a corresponding change in the effective diameter of the back-up roller. In order to facilitate changing of the effective diameter of the back-up roller, the latter is provided with interchangeable, removable sleeves '72 held thereon between removable collers '74 (FIG. 1).

The body 62 of die wheel 60 carries type elements 76 which, as shown on FIG. 3, extend along only a portion of the circumference of the die wheel. In order to heat the type elements 76 and thereby effect the marking of the web W from hot roll leaf stamping tape T which is fed therebetween, as hereinafter described in detail, the apparatus 10 embodying this invention includes a stationary, electrical heating unit 78. As shown on FIGS. 1 and 2, the heating unit 78 includes a bracket 80 which is slidable along the cross bar 16 and clamped at an adjusted position on the latter by means of a thumb screw 82. The bracket 80 projects forwardly from cross bar 16 above back-up roller 20 and carries a cylindrical, heat conducting body 84 which projects therefrom in axial alignment with die wheel 60. The body 84 has axial pockets or cavities receiving electrical heating elements 86 (FIGS. 3 and 8), and the outer diameter of body 84 is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylindrical body 62 of the die wheel 60. After mounting of the die wheel on shaft 52, the bracket 86 is adjusted along cross bar 16 so as to insert the fixed body 84 of heating unit 78 within the cavity of the body 62 of die wheel 60. Thus, upon energization of the electrical heating elements 86, heat from the latter is transmitted through bodies 84 and 62 to the type elements 76 on the die wheel.

As shown on FIGS. 2 and 9, the drive shaft 58 may be driven by way of a chain 88 and a sprocket 90 from an associated machine (not shown), for example, a Wrapping machine utilizing sections of the web W being fed thereto. The chain and sprocket or other transmission to shaft 58 is proportioned so that, during rotation of the die wheel, the peripheral speed of the type elements 76 is equal to the linear speed of movement of the Web over back-up roller 20. When the die wheel 60 is to be continuously rotated during movement of the web, so that the circumferential dimension of the die wheel determines the spacing between successive markings applied to the web, the sprocket 90 may be directly secured to the drive shaft 58. However, when the distance along the web between the successive markings applied to the latter is to be made independent of the circumferential dimension of die wheel 60, then the apparatus 10, as shown, is

provided with a frictional or slip clutch 92 of conventional construction for rotatably coupling the sprocket 90 with a disk 94 secured on drive shaft 58. Thus, when disk 94 is free to rotate, shaft 58 is turned with sprocket 90. However, when rotation of disk 94 and shaft 58 is arrested, clutch 92 slips to permit continued turning of sprocket 98 by chain 88.

The structure for arresting rotation of disk 94 and drive shaft 58 includes an abutment pin 96 projecting axially from disk 94 and being spaced radially from the center of the latter, and a latch 98 having a substantially horizontal arm 160 and a depending arm 102 (FIG. 9) and being pivotally mounted, intermediate such arms, on a horizontal axle 104 within a bracket 186 (FIG. 2) extending from side member 14. A spring 108 is connected between arm 160 of latch 98 and an anchor pin 110 projecting from bracket 106, thereby to urge latch 98 to its operative or-engaged position shown on FIG. 9, where the arm 180 projects into the path of travel of abutment pin 96, thereby to prevent rotation of disk 94 in the counter-clockwise direction beyond the illustrated position. The type elements 76 on die wheel 68 are circumferentially arranged so that, when abutment pin 96 is engaged by latch 98 to hold the die wheel against rotation, the type elements face away from the web travelling over the "back-up roller 20, and thus free the web for continued movement while the die wheel is at rest.

Further, as shown on FIGS. 2 and 9, a solenoid 112 is mounted at the front of bracket 106 and has an armature 114 which, upon energization of the solenoid, moves rearwardly through an opening in the bracket to act against a roller 116 at the lower end of arm 192 of latch 98, thereby to rock the latter in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed on FIG. 9, for releasing the latch arm 100 from the abutment pin 96. The necessary energization of solenoid 112 may be controlled from the associated wrapping or other machine to which the web W is advanced, or otherwise controlled in a conventional manner so as to effect periodic energization of the solenoid in synchronism with the movement of the web. The solenoid 112 is only energized for a brief moment for freeing the latch 98 from the abutment in pin 96, so that the latch 98 is again in its illustrated operative position to arrest further rotation of disk 94 and drive shaft 58 when the abutment pin 96 returns to its initial or illustrated position. Thus, a single revolution of die wheel 60 is effected for each energization or operation of the solenoid 112.

Where the die wheel 60 is only intermittently rotated, as in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that the distances along the web between the successive markings applied to the latter are determined by the intervals between successive energizations of the solenoid 112.

The unused or fresh hot roll leaf stamping tape is in the form of a roll thereof on a supply spool or reel 118 which is rotatable on an axle or spindle 120. The spindle 126 projects laterally, that is, parallel to the axes of die wheel 60 and back-up roller 29, from a support arm 122 extending upwardly from side plate 36 and being adjustably secured to the latter, as at 124 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The free rotation of supply reel 118 is frictionally braked by a helical spring 126 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which is adjustably urged axially against the hub of spool 118 by a knurled nut 128 screwed on the free end portion of spindle 120. As is apparent on FIGS. 1 and 2, spindle 120 projects laterally from its support arm 122 beyond side plate 36 in the direction away from the other side plate 38 of head 34 so that the supply reel 118 is substantially registered with the die wheel considered in the direction across the web.

As shown on FIG. 3, the tape T unwound from supply reel 118 travels generally downwardly from the latter for passage between die wheel 60 and the web supported on back-up roller 20, and then travels generally upwardly for rewinding on a take-up reel 130 which is rotatably mounted in back of supply reel 118. The take-up reel 130 is rotatable on an axle 132 which projects laterally from a support arm 134 extending adjustably in the upward and rearward direction from a bolt 136 carried by side plate 36 adjacent the upper rear corner of the latter (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4). The bolt 136 further forms a stub axle on which a double-grooved pulley 138 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is freely rotatable. A belt 140 runs in one groove of pulley 138 and engages a pulley 142 (FIG. 8) which is suitably secured on hollow shaft 52 for rotation with die wheel 60. Thus, pulley 138 rotates simultaneously with rotation of the die wheel. The other or remaining groove of pulley 138 is engaged by a belt 144 which runs around a pulley 146 rotatably coupled to take-up reel 130. The belt 144 is preferably longitudinally stretchable, for example, formed of an endless coil spring, so as to be capable of slipping relative to pulley 146 when rotation of take-up reel 138 is resisted during turning of the die wheel. Accordingly, the take-up reel 138 is only yieldably urged to rotate for taking up the used tape as the latter is fed thereto in the manner hereinafter described in detail.

As is apparent on FIG. 3, the tape T, in travelling from the supply reel 118 to die wheel 68 initially passes in back of a fixed guide rod 148 projecting laterally outward from side plate 36, and then around a dancer rod 150 having spaced apart guide collars 152 thereon for guiding the tape therebetween. The dancer rod 150 is located forwardly and below the fixed guide rod 148 and is resiliently carried by spring arms 154 extending from a rod 156 which projects laterally outward from side plate 36 immediately in back of fixed guide rod 148. After passing around the resiliently mounted dancer rod 158, the tape travels in back of a fixed guide rod 158 projecting laterally outward from side plate 36 and then in front of a swingable, laterally directed rod 160. The rod 160 is movable through a notch 162 provided in the front edge of plate 36 between a rearmost position relatively close to fixed guide rod 158, as shown in full lines on FIG. 3, and a forwardly displaced position, for example, as indicated in broken lines at 160. After passing around swingable rod 168, the tape passes under a fixed guide rod 164 which extends laterally outward from side plate 36 in front of die wheel 60 and is vertically located so that the horizontal plane tangent to the top of back-up roller 20 is also substantially tangent to the bottom of guide rod 164. Guide collars 166 are adjustably mounted on guide rod 164 for laterally guiding the tape therebetween.

As shown particularly on FIGS. 1 and 4, the swingable rod 160 extends laterally from the lower end of an arm 168 located between side plates 36 and 38 and having its upper end secured on a rock shaft 170 which is journalled, at its ends, in plates 36 and 38. A rearwardly directed cam-follower arm 172 is also secured on rock shaft 170 and rides on a radial cam or eccentric 174 which is suitably secured for rotation with a spur gear 176 on a stub axle 178 projecting inwardly from side plate 36. Spur gear 176 meshes with a spur gear 180 fixed on shaft 52, so that, during rotation of die wheel 60 by shaft 52, meshing gears 176 and 180 effect simultaneous rotation of cam 174. A spring 182 is connected between a pin 184 projecting from arm 172 and an anchor pin 186 projecting inwardly from side plate 36 for urging the cam follower arm 172 into contact with the periphery of earn 174. Thus, rotation of the cam, as described above, causes rocking of arm 172 and of arm 168 for periodically moving the swinga-ble rod 160 from the foremost position 160' shown in broken lines on FIG. 3 to the rearmost position shown in full lines, and then returning the swingable rod to its foremost position.

Since cam 174 is driven from shaft 52, the swinging movements of rod 160 are obviously coordinated with the rotation of die wheel 60. Further, it will be apparent that, when the swingable rod is in its foremost position 160' of FIG. 3, a relatively large loop is formed in the tape T between fixed guide rods 158 and 164. As the swingable rod moves rearwardly to the position shown in full lines at 160 on FIG. 3, the previously formed loop in the tape creates slack or relaxes the tension in the latter in advance of die wheel 60. On the other hand, when the rod 160 moves forwardly to the position 160, and assuming that the pull back of the tape between die wheel 60 and the web on back-up roller 20 is limited, as hereinafter described in detail, the rod 160 will pull tape from the supply reel 118 for correspondingly increasing the size of the formed loop. During the to and fro movements of rod 160, the resiliently mounted dancer roll 150 serves to absorb shocks in the tape.

After passing between die Wheel 60 and the web on back-up roller 20, the used tape T passes under a fixed guide rod 188 (FIG. 3) having guide collars 190 adjustable thereon and projecting laterally outward from side plate 36 in back of the nip between the die wheel and backup roller. The used tape travels upwardly from guide rod 188 and into frictional engagement with a substantial circumferential portion of the surface of a feed metering roller 192. The tape is held in contact with metering roller 192 by a pressure roller 194 and, after travelling around the latter, is rewound on the take-up reel 130. In order to avoid slipping of the tape relative to the surface of the metering roller 192, the latter preferably has a knurled or roughened surface, and the pressure roller 194 preferably has a rubber or other resilient surface and is urged against the knurled surface of metering roller 192 for firmly gripping the tape therebetween. The pressure roller 194 is freely rotatable between arms 196 which extend radially from a shaft 198 turnably mounted in side plates 36 and 38 adjacent the upper edges thereof. An arm 200 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) extends upwardly from shaft 198 adjacent side plate 38 and is connected to a spring 202 which is, in turn, anchored to the cross rod 42 of the head, thereby urging arm 200, shaft 198 and arms 196 to turn in the clockwise direction, as viewed on FIG. 3, for pressing the roller 194 toward metering roller 192.

As shown particularly on FIG. 6, the feed metering roller 192 is secured on a shaft 204 which is journalled in a bearing 206 in side plate 36 and also journalled in a bearing 208 carried by a disk 210 which is adjustably turnable in a circular opening 212 of side plate 38. The drive for the metering roller includes a sleeve 214 (FIG. 7) freely rotatable on shaft 204, and a sprocket 216 (FIGS. 5 and 6) and a pawl carrying arm 218 (FIGS. 6 and 7) secured on the sleeve 214. An endless chain 220 (FIGS. 1 and 5) runs around the sprocket 216 and around a sprocket 222 secured on shaft 52 adjacent the inner side of side plate 38, as clearly show on FIG. 8. The chain 220 is tensioned by an idler sprocket 224 (FIG. 5) rotatably carried by an arm 226 adjustably mounted on side plate 38. Thus, during rotation of die wheel 60, rotation of sprocket 216 and pawl carrying arm 218 is simultaneously effected. The outer end portion of arm 218 carries a pivot 228 on which a pawl 230 is rockably mounted. The pawl 230 is urged inwardly by a spring 232 connected to an anchor pin 234 extending from arm 218 so that the nose of the pawl will engage the radially outer end of a finger-like coupling member 236 which is freely rotatable on shaft 204. The member 236 is rotatably coupled, through an axial pin 238 (FIG. 6) with a peripherally grooved disk 240 which is also rotatable on shaft 204. The disk 240 further has a peripheral cutout extending over approximately one-half of its circumference to define angularly spaced radial shoulders 242 selectively engageable by a fixed pin 244 projecting from the adjacent side plate 36 for limiting the turning of disk 240 in the opposite directions. A conventional one-way clutch 246 is further provided on shaft 204 between disk 240 and member 236 and serves to transmit turning of the coupling member 236 in one direction, that is, in the clock- 0 wise direction as viewed on FIG. 3, to the shaft 204 and metering roller 192.

The drive for the metering roller 192 further includes a cam roller 248 rotatably mounted on a pin 250 which projects axially from the disk 210 at a location near the periphery of the latter. A pin 252 extends laterally from pawl 230 in the direction toward side plate 38 so that, upon rotation of the pawl carrying arm 218 with sprocket 216, the pin 252 will engage and ride over the cam roller 248, thereby rocking the pawl 230 outwardly relative to arm 218 for disengaging the nose of the pawl form the outer end of coupling member 236. Thus, during rotation of pawl carrying arm 218 with sprocket 216 in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed on FIG. 7, the engagement of the nose of pawl 230 with member 236 causes similar turning of the latter and, through the oneway clutch 246, also of metering roller 192, until pin 252 encounters cam roller 248 and thereby disengages the pawl from the coupling member.

As shown particularly on FIG. 6, the disk 210 is connected through a screw 254 with a knob 256 disposed against the outer side of side plate 38. Thus, by turning knob 256, the position of cam roller 248 can be adjusted along an arcuate path, for example, from the position shown on FIG. 6 to that indicated on FIG. 7. Finally, the drive for the metering roller 192 includes a spring 258 (FIGS. 4 and 7) connected between a pin 260 projecting from the periphery of grooved disk 240 and a pin 262 extending from the adjacent side plate 36. During turning of disk 240 with coupling member 236 in the clockwise direction, as viewed on FIG. 4 and in the opposite direction as viewed on FIG. 7, the spring 258 is stretched and lies along the grooved periphery of disk 24-0. How ever, when the pin 252 encounters cam roller 248 and is thus disengaged from member 236, the force of spring 258 returns the member 236 and disk 240 in the opposite direction, but such return movement is not transmitted through clutch 246 to the metering roller 192. The return movement of disk 240 ceases when its lower radial shoulder 242 engages the stop pin 244, as on FIGS. 4 and 7.

-It will be apparent that, with the described drive for metering roller 192, the position of the cam roller 248 along its arcuate path of adjustment determines the an gular extent of the movement imparted to metering roller 192 during each marking operation. Movement of the cam roller 248 downwardly toward a position substantially in alignment With the fixed stop pin 244 increases the angular displacement imparted to the metering roller during each operation, whereas movement of the cam roller 248 upwardly toward the position of the pin 252 shown on FIG. 7 serves to reduce the angular displacement imparted to the metering roller. Thus, manipulation of the knob 256 in one direction or the other serves to increase or decrease the angular displacement of metering roller 192 during each operating cycle, and hence either increases or decreases the length of the tape T which is fed.

Since the sprocket 216 is driven from the shaft 52 of the die wheel 60, it will be apparent that the periodic angular displacement of metering roller 192 is synchronized or coordinated with the rotational movement of the die Wheel and also with the swinging movements of rod 160. Such synchronization, in the case where the die wheel 60 is intermittently rotated, as in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, is as follows:

During the interval between marking operations, that is, when the die wheel 60 is at rest, the feed metering roller 192 is also at res-t, while the swingable rod is in its foremost position 160', thereby to provide a relatively large loop in the tape T in advance of the die wheel. When latch 98 is released to initiate rotation of the die wheel, cam 174 begins the movement of the swingable rod toward its rearmost position 1160, thereby providing slack or relaxing the tension in the tape prior to the initial contact of the type elements 76 with the tape against the web 9 on back-up roller 20, and, at such time, the metering roller 192 is still at rest, When the type elements 76 effect rolling and marking contact with the tape against the web on back-up roller 20, such rolling contact serves to draw or feed the tape from the slack previously provided in advance of the die wheel by movement of the rod 160. Thus, there is little or no resistance to the feeding of the tape by the rolling contact. Further, the rolling contact of the type elements 76 with the tape produces slack in the latter between the die wheel and the feed metering roller 192 which remains at rest during initial feeding of the tape by the type elements. During further feeding of the tape by rolling contact of the type elements 76 therewith, turning of the metering roller 193 commences by reason of the engagement of the nose of pawl 230 with the end of coupling member 236. Turning of the metering roller 192 continues until the latter has displaced a length of the tape which is exactly equal to, or only very slightly greater than, the dimension of the applied marking measured along the tape, whereupon the pin 252 of pawl 230 engages the suitably positioned cam roller 248 for releasing the pawl from member 236 and thereby interrupting the drive of the feed metering roller. Thereafter, spring 258 returns disk 2% and member 236 to the original or starting position, as shown on FIG. 7, while the pawl carrying arm 218 completes its full revolution in response to the rotation of the die wheel 69.

As rotation of the die wheel 69 continues for completing a single revolution thereof, the type elements 76 move out of contact with the tape and, at such time, the cam 174 effects forward movement of the rod 160 back to its position indicated at 160'. Such forward movement of the rod 160 exerts a backward pull on the tape between the die wheel and the web on back-up roller 20. Thus, if the distance through which the tape is originally fed by the contact of the type elements 76 therewith has been substantially greater than the distance through which the tape is fed by the feed metering roller 192, the tape is pulled back to the extent equal to the difference between such feeding distances. The remainder of the forward movement of the rod 160 is accompanied by the drawing or unwinding of fresh tape from the supply spool 118.

In the event that the die wheel 69 is continuously rotated, for example, by direct connection of the sprocket 90 to the shaft 58, the sequence of operations of the swingable rod 160 and of the drive for the metering roller 192 is substantially the same as that described above for intermittent operation. In either case, marking of the web from the hot roll leaf stamping tape is effected at a time when the tape in advance of the die wheel is slack or relaxed, thereby to permit feeding of the tape at the rate required by the rotational speed of the die wheel, and thereafter, the exact amount of tape to be fed for each impression is determined by the feed metering roller 192 and the excess feed, if any, is pulled back by the forward movement of the swingable rod 160 following the actual marking operation. Thus, the used portions of the tape are immediately adjacent or contiguous to each other so that none of the relatively expensive material of the hot roll leaf stamping tape is wasted.

It will also be apparent that, in the described apparatus 10, the path of the tape T from the supply spool 118 to the take-up spool 130 all lies in a single vertical plane with changes in direction of the path all occurring Within that plane, thereby facilitating the accurate tracking of the tape, even when the latter is relatively narrow or the apparatus is operated under humid conditions.

It is also apparent that, since the heating unit 78 is stationary, the electrical heating elements 86 can be connected to an energizing circuit merely by fixed conductors, thereby avoiding all relatively rotatably electrical contacts, such as, commutators and brushes, which are a frequent source of trouble.

Although illustrative embodiments of this invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for applying markings from a stamping tape to a web during movement of the latter over a back-up surface, comprising a die wheel rotatably mounted above the back-up sur face and having its axis extending laterally relative to the direction of movement of the web,

type means on a portion of the periphery of said die wheel,

means for rotating said die wheel with a peripheral speed at said type means, equal to the speed of movement of the web,

a supply reel and a take-up reel rotatably mounted above said die wheel,

fixed guide means leading tape from said supply reel between said die wheel and the web on the back-up surface and then to said take-up reel so that, during rotation of said die wheel, rolling contact of said type means with the tape against the web on said back-up surface effects marking of the web and feeding of the tape,

a feed metering roller engaging the tape between said die wheel and said take-up reel,

means responsive to rotation of said die wheel to turn said metering roller to an adjustably predetermined extent after feeding of the tape by said rolling contact of said type means therewith has commenced,

means urging said take-up reel to rotate in the direction for rewinding thereon each length of tape fed by said turning of the metering roller.

a swingable bar engaging the tape at a location intermediate said supply reel and said die wheel and being movable away from and toward said fixed guide means so as to pull on the tape and provide slack in the latter, respectively, and

means moving said swingable bar in synchronism with the rotation of said die wheel so that said bar provides slack in the tape in advance of the die wheel prior to the feeding of the tape by rolling contact of said type means therewith and said bar pulls on the tape after said type means moves out of rolling contact therewith, thereby to draw back the tape to the extent that the feeding thereof by said rolling contact 'of the type means exceeds the length of type fed by said turning of the metering roller.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1; wherein the tape is of the hot roll leaf type requiring the application of heat and pressure by said type means for the marking of the Web, and said die wheel includes a cylindrical body which is open at one end; and

further comprising a rotatably stationary electrical heating unit including a cylindrical body extending axially into said body of the die wheel through said open end of the latter, and electrically energized heating elements housed in said body of the heating unit.

3. An apparatus as in claim 2; further comprising means mounting said heating unit for movement axially toward and away from said die wheel, thereby to permit withdrawal of said body of the heating unit from said body of the die wheel; and

wherein said means for rotating the die wheel includes a hollow, rotatably driven shaft extending, at one end, to the other end of the die wheel body, a retaining screw extending axially through said shaft, said other end of the die wheel body having an end wall with a central tapped bore to receive said retaining screw and thereby be drawn axially toward said hollow shaft, and axially separable coupling means for causing said die wheel body to turn with said shaft, whereby said die wheel body can be replaced by :axially withdrawing said body of the heating unit and then unscrewing said retaining screw from said end wall of the die wheel body.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said means for rotating the die wheel includes a rotatable shaft coupled to the latter, drive means operated in response to movement of the web, slip clutch means between said drive means and said shaft to urge the latter to rotate upon operation of said drive means, latch means for holding said shaft against rotation in a rest position where said type means faces away from the web on said back-up surface, and means for momentarily releasing said latch means, thereby to permit a single complete revolution of the die wheel and shaft from and back to said rest position, so that the distance between successive markings applied to the web is determined by the interval between successive releases of said latch means.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1; wherein said means for turning the metering roller includes a shaft extending from the latter, an arm carrying a pawl and being turnable with respect to said metering roller shaft, transmission means for turning said arm in one direction in response to rotation of the die wheel, a coupling member turnable on said metering roller shaft and being engageable by said pawl for turning with said arm in said one direction, one-way clutch means transmitting turning of said coupling member in said one direction to said metering roller shaft, means urging said coupling member to return in the other direction to an initial rotational position, and pawl release means operative to disengage said pawl from said coupling member upon a predetermined extent of turning of the latter from said initial position so that said metering roller is angularly displaced only to said predetermined extent during each revolution of said pawl carrying arm.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5; wherein said means urging the coupling member to return to said initial rotational position includes a disk rotatably connected with said coupling member, said disk having a peripheral cutout defining angularly spaced radial shoulders, a fixed stop pin extending into said cutout and engageable by said shoulders to limit turning of said disk and coupling member in said one direction and said other direction, the remainder of the periphery of said disk having a circumferential groove, and a helical tension spring connected between a fixed anchor and the periphery of said disk so as to stretch and lie in said groove upon turning of the disk in said one direction and urge said disk in said other direction.

7. An apparatus as in claim 5; wherein said pawl release means includes a cam r-oller, means mounting said cam roller for adjusting movement along an arouate path concentric with the axis of said metering roller shaft, and a cam follower pin projecting from said pawl and moving with the latter and said pawl carrying arm along a circular path into which said cam roller projects thereby to release said pawl from said coupling member as said cam follower pin rides over said cam roller.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1; further comprising a rock shaft extending parallel to the axis of said die wheel, and a lever arm extending radially from said rock shaft and having said swingable bar secured to the free end portion of the lever arm; and

wherein said means moving the swingable bar in synchronism with the rotation of the die wheel includes a rotatably mounted radial cam, an actuating arm extending from said rock shaft and riding on the periphery of said radial cam, and means for rotating said radial cam in response to rotation of said die wheel.

9. An apparatus for applying markings from hot roll leaf stamping tape to a web during movement of the latter, comprising a supporting structure;

a back-up roller rotatably mounted in said supporting structure for movement of the web over said roller;

a head laterally adjust-able on said supporting structure above said back-up roller and including a drive shaft journalled in said head parallel to said roller with the opposite ends of said shaft projecting from the head, a die wheel having a hollow cylindrical body open at one end and carrying type elements on its periphery, and means for releasably securing the die wheel body, at its other end, to one end of said drive shaft;

a heating unit laterally adjustable on said supporting structure and including a non-rotatable cylindrical body insertable in said hollow body of the die wheel through said open end of the latter, and electrical heating means in said non-rotatable body for heating said type elements on the die wheel body;

means for feeding hot roll leaf stamping tape between said die wheel and the web on said back-up roller; and

means coupled to the other end of said drive shaft for effecting rotation of the latter.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9; wherein said other end of the die wheel body has a tapped bore therein, and said drive shaft is hollow; and said means for releasably securing said die wheel body to said one end of the drive shaft includes a retaining rod extending axially through said hollow drive shaft and having a threaded portion at one end for engagement in said tapped bore and a knob at the other end for use in manually turning said retaining rod relative to the drive shaft.

11. An apparatus as in claim 9; wherein said supporting structure includes a pair of vertical, laterally spaced apart side members, and a cross-member extending between the latter;

said head includes a pair of vertical, laterally spaced apart side plates slidable on said cross-member, and clamping means for locking said plates relative to the cross-member; and

said heating unit includes a bracket slidable on said cross-member and having means for clamping said bracket relative to said crossmember, said body of the heating unit extending from said bracket.

12. An apparatus as in claim 9; wherein said means for feeding tape between the die wheel and the web on the back-up roller includes a supply reel and a take-up reel rotatably mounted on said head above said die wheel,

fixed guide means leading the tape from said supply reel downwardly under said die wheel and then upwardly to said take-up reel for rewinding on the latter so that, during rotation of said die wheel, rolling contact of said type elements with the tape against the web on said back-up roller effects marking of the web and feeding of the tape,

a feed metering roller rotatably mounted on said head and engaging the tape between said die wheel and said take-up reel,

means responsive to rotation of said die wheel to turn said metering roller to an adjustably predetermined extent after feeding of the tape by said rolling contact of said type means therewith has commenced, means urging said take-up reel to rotate in the direction for rewinding thereon each length of tape fed by said turning of the metering roller,

a swingable bar engaging the tape at a location intermediate said supply reel and said die wheel and being movable away from and toward said fixed guide means so as to pull on the tape and provide slack in the latter, respectively, and

means moving said swingable bar in synchronism with the rotation of said die wheel so that said bar provides slack in the tape in advance of the die wheel prior to the feeding of the tape by rolling contact of said type means therewith and said bar pulls on the tape after said type means moves out of rolling contact therewith, thereby to draw back the tape to the extent that the feeding thereof by said rolling contact of the type means exceeds the length of tape fed by said turning of the metering roller.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12; wherein said means for effecting rotation of the drive shaft includes drive means operated in response to movement of the web, slip clutch means between said drive means and said shaft to urge the latter to rotate upon operation of said drive means, latch means for holding said shaft against rotation in a rest position where said type means faces away from the web on said back-up surface, and means for momentarily releasing said latch means, thereby to permit a single complete revolution of the die wheel and shaft from and back to said rest position, so that the distance between successive markings applied to the web is determined by the interval between successive releases of said latch means.

14. An apparatus as in claim 12; wherein said means for turning the metering roller includes a shaft extending from the latter, an arm carrying a pawl and being turnable with respect to said metering roller shaft, transmission means for turning said arm in one direction in response to rotation of the die wheel, a coupling member turnable on said metering roller shaft and being engageable by said pawl for turning with said arm in said one direction, one-way clutch means transmitting turning of said coupling member in said one direction to said metering roller shaft, means urging said coupling member to return in the other direction to an initial rotational position, and pawl release means operative to disengage said pawl from said coupling member upon a predetermined extent of turning of the latter from said initial position so that said metering roller is angularly displaced only to said predetermined extent during each revolu- 4 tion of said pawl carrying arm.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14; wherein said means urging the coupling member to return to said initial rotational position includes a disk rotatably connected with said coupling member, said disk having a peripheral cutout defining angularly spaced radial shoulders, a fixed stop pin extending into said cutout and engageable by said shoulders to limit turning of said disk and coupling member in said one direction and said other direction, the remainder of the periphery of said disk having a circumferential groove, and a helical tension spring connected between a fixed anchor and the periphery of said disk so as to stretch and lie in said groove upon turning of the disk in said one direction and urge said disk in said other direction.

16. An apparatus as in claim 15; wherein said pawl release means includes a cam roller, means mounting said cam roller for adjusting movement along an arcuate path concentric with the axis of said metering roller shaft, and a cam follower pin projecting from said pawl and moving with the latter and said pawl carrying arm along a circular path into which said cam roller projects thereby to release said pawl from said coupling member as said cam follower pin rides over said cam roller.

17. An apparatus as in claim 16; further comprising a rock shaft extending parallel to the axis of said die wheel, and a lever arm extending radially from said rock shaft and having said swingable bar secured to the free end portion of the lever arm; and

wherein said means moving the swingable bar in synchronism with the rotation of the die Wheel includes a rotatably mounted radial cam, an actuating arm extending from said rock shaft and riding on the periphery of said radial cam, and means for rotating said radial cam in response to rotation of said die wheel.

References tilted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,949,362 2/1934 Wickwire 10125 2,248,419 7/1941 Auld 101-25 3,143,959 8/1964 Burr et al 10125 X 3,146,698 9/1964 Worth 10125 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MARKINGS FROM A STAMPING TAPE TO A WEB DURING MOVEMENT OF THE LATTER OVER A BACK-UP SURFACE, COMPRISING A DIE WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ABOVE THE BACK-UP SURFACE AND HAVING ITS AXIS EXTENDING LATERALLY RELATIVE TO THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE WEB, TYPE MEANS ON A PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY OF SAID DIE WHEEL, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID DIE WHEEL WITH A PERIPHERAL SPEED AT SAID TYPE MEANS, EQUAL TO THE SPEED OF MOVEMENT OF THE WEB, A SUPPLY REEL AND A TAKE-UP REEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED ABOVE SAID DIE WHEEL, FIXED GUIDE MEANS LEADING TAPE FROM SAID SUPPLY REEL BETWEEN SAID DIE WHEEL AND THE WEB ON THE BACK-UP SURFACE AND THEN TO SAID TAKE-UP REEL SO THAT, DURING ROTAION OF SAID DIE WHEEL, ROLLING CONTACT OF SAID TYPE MEANS WITH THE TAPE AGAINST THE WEB ON SAID BACK-UP SURFACE EFFECTS MARKING OF THE WEB AND FEEDING OF THE TAPE, A FEED METERING ROLLER ENGAGING THE TAPE BETWEEN SAID DIE WHEEL AND SAID TAKE-UP REEL, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO TO ROTATION OF SAID DIE WHEEL TO TURN SAID METERING ROLLER TO AN ADJUSTABLY PREDETERMINED EXTEND AFTER FEEDING OF THE TAPE BY SAID ROLLING CONTACT OF SAID TYPE MEANS THEREWITH HAS COMMENCED, MEANS URGING SAID TAKE-UP REEL TO ROTATE IN THE DIRECTION FOR REWINDING THEREON EACH LENGTH OF TAPE FED BY SAID TURNING OF THE METERING ROLLER. A SWINGABLE BAR ENGAGING THE TAPE AT A LOCATION INTERMEDIATE SAID SUPPLY REEL AND SAID DIE WHEEL AND BEING MOVABLE AWAY FROM AND TOWARD SAID FIXED GUIDE MEANS SO AS TO PULL ON THE TAPE AND PROVIDE SLACK IN THE LATTER, RESPECTIVELY, AND MEANS MOVING SAID SWINGABLE FOR SYNCHRONISM WITH THE ROTATION OF SAID DIE WHEEL SO THAT SAID BAR PROVIDES SLACK IN THE TAPE IN ADVANCE OF THE DIE WHEEL PRIOR TO THE FEEDING OF THE TAPE BY ROLLING CONTACT OF SAID TYPE MEANS THEREWITH AND SAID BAR PULLS ON THE TAPE AFTER SAID TYPE MEANS MOVES OUT OF ROLLING CONTACT THEREWITH, THEREBY TO DRAW BACK THE TAPE TO THE EXTENT THAT THE FEEDING THEREOF BY SAID ROLLING CONTACT OF THE TYPE MEANS EXCEEDS THE LENGTH OF TYPE FED BY SAID TURNING OF THE METERING ROLLER. 